How much longer will we stay with imperial measurements ?

Why would anyone prefer a multibase measuring system with bases 1,2,4,8,16….. over as simple single base metric system where the only denominator is 10, is beyond me. Try taking 3/4” board, deduct blade kerf thickness twice and divide the remainder by 3 to set your table saw fence to cut the board into 3 narrow pieces. All this while the blade is running. Very easy with the metric units, beyond my mathematical ability in imperial system. I just gave up and do most of my work in millimeters converting to inches when setting the tool that take imperial. I am not even talking about those two sets of wrenches I bought for one for each system and ‘conveniece’ of trying to figure out which one to use.Am I the only one not smart enough to use the imperial measurements ?

-- It's nice!

63 replies so far

It’s a very long overdue change that the US will probably not undertake anytime soon. People’s resistance to change is beyond belief on this issue. As a result we have the current mess (try working on a car without both fractional and metric tools) that exists.

They have been telling us for years to get ready for the metric system, yet we still hang on our old way of doing things. Being in construction, I can’t ever see the building trades going metric, it’s too ingrained into the industry.

but the imperial / fractional system is so simple, reliable, sensible and best of all not metric !you missed out a few useful numbers in your list … 3rds, 5ths, etcI still work out area as acres in furlongs and chains distance in miles and i am overweight in stones and pounds

when England used imperial system we had an empire, full employment, security, now we use the metric system and walk round with our ass hanging out of our pants. we went metric to be part of europe and the common market – anyone think it has helped us ???

Never! Fraction’s aren’t dangerous, people. What do we stand to gain by changing? Base 10 isn’t going to magically double your productivity, make anything cheaper, or bring world peace.

Also, to the OP, i recommend turning the saw off as you move your fence etc. That is considered best practice in both systems of measure. Also gives you a chance to re-measure safely. Always good to double check.

-Brian

-- Part of engineering is to know when to put your calculator down and pick up your tools.

Or, you can do as we have done in Canada. We are supposedly on the metric system, but we still buy 2×4’s and sheet goods in 4×8’. We build our houses with studs on 16” centers, but buy the flooring by the square meter.

I suspect the moon project used metric measure. And wasn’t it a failure to make the conversion that led to the failure of one of the Mars landings?

But we are gradually using metric more and more, since so much stuff is imported from metric using countries. We’re getting used to it. And I’ve found that until you get down to very small sizes, like 3/8” or less, metric wrenches work just fine on “inch” nuts and bolts. But not the other way around.

-- I admit to being an adrenaline junky; fortunately, I'm very easily frightened

Or, you can do as we have done in Canada. We are supposedly on the metric system, but we still buy 2×4 s and sheet goods in 4×8 . We build our houses with studs on 16” centers, but buy the flooring by the square meter.

I worked at a Honda motorcycle shop some time ago and the parent company was a Harley store next door, those guys had to have twice the tools due to the fact that half the stuff on the Hardleys was metric and half was SAE standard. The Hondas were 100% metric and the real irony is the guys that went to tech school for motorcycle repair rarely wanted to work on anything but Harleys, as a result they made less than the Honda techs.

-- "Lack of effort will result in failure with amazing predictability" - Me

Decimals don t easily divide by three. All building materials have agreed on 4” mounting multiples. Fractions are easier in the head. Double the denominator to halve.

3/4” board less two 1/8” kerfs is 1/2” which doesn t divide into three so you can get two 3/16” strips with an 1/8” leftover.

3/4 of 25 mm is 19mm (sorta) less two 3mm kerfs is 13mm that doesn t divide by three giving you three 4mm pieces and a 1mm leftover.

- MadMark

See you are wasting wood because of the inconvenient system, And decimals perfectly easy divide by 3 at any required accuracy. In your example above 13mm divide by 3 is 4.3 mm. Easy to divide, easy to set the fence, no waste.